Ladder step



D. F. M GILL LADDER STEP Feb. 12, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET l uw/fikvraRDANlE-L F: MGlLL M/ X Filed Nov. 30, 1946 fl TTURA/E W5 Feb; 12, 1952 D.F. M GlLL LADDER STEP 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1946 /Z/E/\/7 UFDANIEL F'. McGlLL EM MMJ/M flT TERA/5x451 Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITEDSTATES PATENT QFFICE LADDER STEP Daniel F. McGill, Portland, Greg. 7 vApplication November 30, 1946, Serial No. 713,334

4 Claims- (01. 504-415) This invention relates to a ladder step and hasparticular reference to an auxiliary flat step for use on ladders havinground or narrow rungs.

Ladders with round or narrow rungs are uncomfortable to stand on and donot provide a suitable supporting surface for buckets andsmall articlesfrequently used on a ladder. Although the conventional step ladder ismade with flat steps and possesses therequisites of comfort andconvenience in supporting such objects, it is necessarily heavy andawkward to handle and consequently its height is quite limited if it isto be manipulated by one person. The general object of the presentinvention isto provide an auxiliary flat step for use with a ladderhaving narrow rungs in order to obtain the comfort and convenience of astep ladder in a light weight and relatively inexpensive rung ladder ofsimple construction. Other objects are to provide an auxiliary stepwhich may be placed upon any rung of the ladder to form a fiatsupporting surface which is strong and solid when so placed but whichmay readily be moved from one rung to another as desired, to provide astep which is adjustable for use on ladders of different widths and onladders having rails of diiferent sizes, to provide a flat step which isdirectly supported by the ladder rung, and to provide eflicient andnovel means for'removably securing the auxiliary step in place withoutthe use of special fixtures which would be awkward to adjust and likelyto catch in a persons clothing.

The present auxiliary step comprises a pair of end brackets for holdinga flat step plate on a ladder rung. The brackets have horizontallyextending portions which may themselves constitute an extensible stepplate or which may be adapted to slidably receive the ends of a separatestep plate for relative movement in installing and removing the deviceand for providing length adjustment to fit ladders of different widths.These brackets also include upstanding guide channels to embrace thelegs or rails of the ladder to prevent the step plate from rocking onthe rung. Sliding wedges or other clamping means are contained in theupstanding channels to fit the difierent thicknesses of rails on ladderson which the device may be used. The auxiliary step may be maintainedrigidly in a fixed position by the action of the wedges or clamps, butthe device .may readily be moved from one step to another when desired.9

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in theconstruction and combi nation of parts illustrated by way of example intwo preferred embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of auxiliary stepin placeon a narrowrung ladder;

Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the ladder and step shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation view with certain parts shown in section;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one brackets;

Figure 5 is a perspective viewof the board or step plate which rests,upon the ladder rung;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a modified form of adjustable ladder step;

Figure '7 is a front elevation view of the construction shown in Figure6; H v

Figure 8 is a side elevation view of the construction shown in Figure 6;and v Figure ,9 is a sectional view takenon the line 99 of Figure 6.'

In the drawings the numeral l0 indicates a pair of legs or side rails,interconnected by a series of round rungs l l in the form of the usuallightweight ladder which is often built to considerable height. Therungs H are not necessarily round, but to illustrate the purpose of thepresent invention they are shown as being relatively narrow whereby theyare uncomfortable to stand upon for a long period of time, and, ofcourse, lacking in a flat supporting surface for pails and otherequipment frequently used on ladders. The rails Ill in such ladders areof various standardized dimensions in diiferent parts of the country,having proportions approximately as shown and they may be spaced inparallel relation or they may converge toward the top of the ladder. Ina tapering ladder the rails are usually curved at their lowerextremities to provide a broad base of support so that in the upper partof the ladder the rails are substantially parallel. The presentauxiliary step can beapplied to ladders with either parallel orconverging rails.

The embodiment illustratedin Figures 1 to 5 comprises a flat board orstep plate !3 and a pair of brackets 14 for holding the step plate in afixed position on the ladder rung. The brackets 14 may take variousforms but as illustrated they are provided with horizontal inwardlyextending of the end flanges 15 forming two opposed channels whichtogether constitute a socket for slidably receiving an end of the stepplate It. The step plate may secured in one of the brackets [4 ifdesired, but in the present illustration it is slidably received in bothbrackets to providea telescopic length adjustment at each end of thestep.

Thus, as shown in Figure 2 the brackets l4 may be moved close togetheron the step plate for use on relatively narrow ladders or at the narrowtop of a tapering ladder, or the parts may be extended out to a maximumwidth adjustment for use on unusually wide ladders or near the widebottom of tapering ladders. The brackets l4 have upstanding guidechannels IE to receive the ladder rails and approximately the minimumwidth adjustment of the device is illustrated by the positions of theserail channels shown in broken lines at l6a in Figure 2. The flanges l5then substantially abut each other as indicated at I So and the ends ofthe step plate extend throughout the length thereof, the combined lengthof the flanges l5 being approximately equal to the length of the stepplate. When the device is fully extended it is capable of reaching fromthe left-hand guide channel I6 to the righthand position indicated inbroken lines at 5b without pulling the step plate too far out of thebrackets. The horizontal parts of the brackets thereby formcontinuations of the supporting surface offered by the step plate I 3 toprovide a flat step from rail to rail on top of the ladder rung.

Each guide channel I6 has a substantially vertical front flan e l1 and asloping back flange I8 set at an angle corresponding approximately tothe usual slope of the ladder in use. The bracket I4 ispreferablvformedfrom relatively heavy gauge sheet metal whereby-thevarious an les and flanges are sufficiently stiff-to provide a ri idnon-rocking support for the step on a round ladder rung or on one edgeor corner of a rectangular rung. a

A wedge member '20 is arranged to flt between the vertical front flangel1 and the front surface of the ladder rail to snugly engagethe ladderrail between the inner surface of the wedge and the back'flange I8. asclearly shown in Figure 3. Means are provided for retaining the wedge inplace while, at the same time, permitting vertical sliding movement,this meansin the present embodiment constituting a screw 2| secured inthe wedge member and passing through a vertical slot 22 which is wideenough to loosely receive the shank of the screw but not wide enough toallow the head to pass therethrough. Thus, the wedge members 20 may beraised to release the brackets from the ladder rails, but when they areallowed to drop by gravity they fall into snug wedging positions toallow for adjustment for various size rails and to prevent relativemovement between the brackets and the rails. The slot 22 has amplelength to accommodate sufiicient vertical movement of the wedge to gripladder rails of difi'erent thickness. When the wedge is dropped in placeas shown in Figure 3, it will be seen that the step i3 is therebyrigidly supported against rocking movement on the ladder rung, and thatthe frictional engagement with the ladder rails. prevents the bracketsfrom being accidentally released therefrom.

When it is desired to remove the. auxiliary step, it is only necessaryto lift both wedges 20 and move the upright channels, I 6 inwardly tothe relative positions shown at lGa to clear the ladder rails, whereuponthe device is immediately entirely free of the ladder. The maximum widthadjustment of the device is limited only by the necessity for havingadequate bearing for the ends of the step plate in the respectivebracket channels IS. The variation in the length of the step in thismanner is adequate for use with 4 I most conventional sizes of ladders,but the dimensions and proportions may, of course, be altered to suitthe type of ladder with which the device is to be used.

The step plate 13 may be made of plywood which will not split lengthwisewhen supported by line contact on a round rung, or it may be made of alight-weight metal casting or stamping having sufficient strength forthe purpose.

Figures 6 to 9 illustrate a modified all metal construction in which theend brackets themselves telescope together to form a step plate ofVariable length which will accommodate itself to ladders of differentwidths. In this construction there are two parts 30 and 3| whichtelescope together to form a flat, variable length step plate. The part30 has channel edges 32 slidably receiving the similarly shaped channeledges 33 of the part 3!. Longitudinal and transverse raised ridges 34are formedin the part 30'to stiffen the member and to provide a nonsliptread on its supporting surface, and similar ridges are raised on thelower or under side of the part 3| as shown in Figure 9, so as not tointerfere with the sliding fit of the two parts. The stiffness providedby these ridges, if properly formed, enables these two parts to be madeof sheet metal and still have sufficient strength to prevent bendingover a ladder rung on which the step is supported. The length of theparts 30 and 3| is such that when they are telescoped together the stepmay be applied to the narrowest ladder on which it is intended to beused, While at the same time being capable of sufli cient extension tofit a wide ladder without separating the two parts. It is preferred thatthe two parts should telescope at least several inches on the widestladder on which the step is to be used.

Each of the parts 30 and 3| carries at its outer end a bracket 49adapted to embrace one of the rails of the ladder to hold the stepsteady and rigid in a substantially horizontal position on a round orangular rung. Each bracket 40 comprises an upstanding plate 4| to abutthe inside surface of the ladder rail, a substantially vertical frontplate or flange 42 .and an inclined rear plate or flange 43 conformingwith the slope of the ladder as it is generally used. The plate 4| andthe flanges 42 and 43 are shown to be formed from the same piece ofsheet metal used to make the telescoping step portion, so that theseparts will all be integral, but other forms of construction havingsufficient strength and rigidity will suggest themselves.

The vertical front flange 42 carries a nut 44 held in position behind anopening in the flange to receive a thumb screw 45. The nut 44 ispreferably secured by some means such as a spot weld directly to theflange 42, but if the latter is of sufficiently thick material thethreads may be formed directly therein without the use of a nut. Theclamp screw 45 is provided with a reduced end 46 which is peened over orriveted to confine a pair of spaced washers 4! loosely engaging 0ppositefaces of a clamping plate 48 which is adapted to be tightened againstthe front face of the ladder rail. This clamping plate is formed with acentral part 49 perpendicular to the screw 45 and substantially parallelwith the front flange 42, and end portions 50 disposed parallel with theinclined rgar flange 43, so that when the screw is tightened the endportions will lie fiat against the ladder rail as shown in Figure 8.This clamping means is intended to take the place of the sliding wedges28 shown in the first embodiment, and it is to be understood that eitherform of clamping means may be used in either of the two stepconstructions herein described. In either case the clamping means hasenough adjustment to accommodate ladder rails of different thickness andis intended to clamp the rail with sufficient firmness to avoidaccidental disengagement therefrom and to hold the step firmly in ahorizontal position to prevent rocking on the rung. Still other clampingarrangements capable of fulfilling these conditions may be employed.

By using two auxiliary steps on a conventional rung ladder theadvantages of a step ladder are combined with the advantages of a rungladder to provide greater utility and convenience than either type ofladder possesses in itself. One of the steps may be used to stand on andthe other used to support articles being used. Both steps may readily bemoved up and down from time to time as the work requires. The device isof particular advantage in working above the height ordinarilyattainable on the usual step ladder.

Various other changes will occur to persons skilled in the art forproviding different equivalent means of length adjustment in the stepand different rail clamping means in the end brackets, and all suchchanges in the construction and arrangement of parts within the scope ofthe appended claims are included in the invention.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may beused, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A ladder step comprising a step plate, a pair of brackets carried bysaid plate at opposite ends thereof and adjustable therewith to vary thedistance therebetween, each of said brackets having an integral upturnedend portion to engage the inside face of a ladder rail, each of saidupturned end portions having front and back flange portions to extendover the front and back faces of the ladder rail, one of said flangeportions extending upwardly at an angle approximately normal to saidbrackets and the other upwardly extending flange portion diverging fromthe first flange portion, and a wedge slidable between each of theflanged portions extending upwardly at an angle approximately normal tosaid brackets and the adjacent ladder rail to hold said step plate in asubstantially horizontal position on a ladder rung.

2. A ladder step comprising a pair of members interconnected forrelative lengthwise movement to form a variable length step plate, eachof said member having a transverse integral upturned end portion toengage the inside face of a ladder rail, each of said upturned endportions having front and back flange portions to extend over the frontand back faces of the ladder rail, one of said flange portions extendingupwardly at an angle approximately normal to said members and the otherupwardly extending flange portion diverging from the first flangeportion, and a clamping member bearing against the said flange portionextending upwardly at an angle approximately normal to said members toengage the ladder rail and clamp it against the other flange portion.

3. A ladder step comprising a pair of interconnected brackets, each ofsaid brackets having an integral upturned end portion to engage theinside face of a ladder rail, each of said upturned end portions havingfront and back flange portions to extend over the front and back facesof the ladder rail, one of said flange portions extending upwardly at anangle approximately normal to the said members and the other flangeportion extending upwardly and diverging from the first flange portion,a member bearing against the said flange portion extending upwardly atan angle approximately normal to said brackets to engage the ladder railand clamp it against the other flange portion, and said brackets beingmovable toward and away from each other.

4. A ladder step comprising a pair of members interconnected forrelative lengthwise movement to form a variable length flat step, eachof said members comprising a flat plate having downwardly and inwardlyturned side edge portions to form a double channel cross section ofgreater longitudinal stiffness than said plate, a transverse upturnedintegral end portion on each plate to stiffen the plate transversely andengage the inside face of a ladder rail, integral front and backconfronting flange portions connected with the front and back edges ofsaid upturned end portion to project over the front and back faces ofthe ladder rail, and a clamping member bearing against one of saidflange portions to engage the ladder rail and clamp it against the otherflange portion, said clamping member and other flange portion havingvertically extended flat bearing surfaces to clamp the ladder railsecurely and rigidly over extensive areas of its front and back facesfor a distance above the step.

DANIEL F. MCGILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 335,051 Ayres Jan. 26, 18861,285,817 Sklar Nov. 26, 1918 1,597,555 Tolmie Aug. 24, 1926 1,714,028Knuth May 21, 1929 2,103,603 Voigt Dec. 28, 1937 2,182,475 Herline Dec.5, 1939 2,237,216 Dubreuil Apr. 1, 1941 2,389,157 Kotteman Nov. 20, 19452,415,327 Yothers Feb. 4, 1947 2,488,633 Linder et a1 Nov. 22, 1949FOREIGN PATENTS umber Country Date 29,775 Australia Nov. 24, 1931536,146 France Feb. 7, 1922

